By Miles Jarvis | Executive Director
The devastating 7.7 and 6.4 magnitude earthquakes that struck Myanmar on 28th March caused widespread destruction - reducing homes, hospitals, schools, and vital infrastructure to rubble and affecting over 17 million people across the country. Four months on, 6.3 million people are in need in the worst earthquake affected areas.
While estimates vary, it is widely reported that over 3,800 people have been killed, over 5,000 injured, and tens of thousands of people have been left living on the streets. While the immense tragedy caught the attention of the international media for a few days, sadly, the situation continues with little further reporting.
We launched our ‘Health & Hope Myanmar Earthquake Response Project’ on 29th March, aiming to deliver humanitarian relief activities to those affected by the devastating earthquake.
Thanks to your rapid and generous response, we were able to respond quickly, working with a small group of implementing partners who can reach ‘hard-to- access’ areas, and serve people where there was and continues to be great need. These partners are deeply rooted in their communities, have a strong understanding of the local context, and are well-connected to facilitate emergency response efforts.
After discussion and planning with our partners and in response to the identified needs, we worked to deliver the following:
1. Distribution of food, water and other nutritional assistance to affected communities
2. Shelter materials and other essential Non Food Items (NFIs)
3. Medical care provided to those injured or ill after the earthquake
4. Support with new or damaged water supplies
5. Multipurpose cash grants where appropriate and where markets were operating normally
Our partners were particularly grateful for our quick response with financial support, being closest to the needs. One said, "Thank you for your generous contributions. Your support in the disaster-affected areas has been highly impactful and much appreciated. We truly appreciate your quick response and care for our community”.
Between April and June, we were able to reach over 24,000 people in 67 different earthquake affected regions. This included the following:
While reaching so many people is so important, sometimes individualised support can be as impactful. One of our partners met a lady who has had significant physical disabilities for many years, and was being cared for by her sister and her family. Our partner was able to use some funds to purchase a wheelchair for this lady (see image below). She and her sister were absolutely thrilled, with the sister saying, "‘From now on, with this help, wherever we go she can come with us".
As a final thank you, here are some words from another of our implementing partners:
"Thank you for your generous contributions. Your support in the disaster-affected areas has been highly impactful and much appreciated. The donated items such as medicines, food, and sanitation supplies have benefited the community significantly and helped address urgent needs during this critical time. Your efforts have made a meaningful difference".
On behalf of all our team, thank you for your generous support at this critical time.
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